Prices
What an AC gas refill costs
Refilling starts at PKR 6,000 for R410a and varies with the gas type and how much the system takes; R22 costs more per charge and rises each year as it is phased down. But a unit needing gas has a leak — refilling without finding it is a yearly bill, not a repair.
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Price follows the gas type
R410a is the current standard on newer units. R22 appears on older ones and costs more per charge because it is being phased down globally, and that gap widens each year. Knowing which your unit uses tells you what a future refill will cost, and it is worth knowing before buying a used unit rather than after.
Why an annual refill is not a service item
Refrigerant is a sealed charge, not a consumable. A system losing it every season has a leak, and the usual places are flare joints made badly at installation, worn service valve cores, or a corroded coil. Paying for gas each summer costs more across three years than locating the leak once and repairing it.
What leak repair actually costs
A flare joint or a valve core is typically a modest repair once located — considerably less than repeated refills. A leaking coil is a different matter and can approach the value of an older unit, at which point replacement enters the conversation honestly. Either way the diagnosis comes before the quote.
Top-up as a stated stopgap
Sometimes a customer needs to get through a season and a top-up is the pragmatic choice. That is fine, provided it is called what it is. We do it and write down that it is a stopgap rather than a fix, so nobody is surprised when the same symptom returns — which it will.
How much does AC gas refilling cost in Pakistan?
How often should an AC need gas?
Never, in normal operation. A correctly installed sealed system holds its charge for the life of the unit. If yours needs gas annually, that is a leak that has not been looked for — and it is the single most common way money is quietly wasted in this trade. Ask for a leak test, not a refill.
Is R22 gas still available?
It is available and it costs more each year as it is phased down. An R22 unit that is sound can still be worth owning; you simply need to know that a future refill costs more than it would on a newer unit. That belongs in the calculation when buying a used unit, alongside the purchase price.
Can low gas damage the compressor?
Yes. Running a system undercharged makes the compressor work in conditions it was not designed for and can cause it to overheat, which is a far more expensive failure than the leak that caused it. This is the practical reason not to keep topping up and hoping — the leak is cheap, the consequence is not.
Rather have it done?
A service is a deep clean of both coils, the filters and the drain, plus a set of measurements that show whether the unit is actually healthy. Servicing starts at PKR 3,000, and gas refilling starts at PKR 6,000 — but a unit needing gas has a leak, and refilling without finding it is a yearly bill, not a repair.
AC servicing and gas refilling in Islamabad — prices and scope